Congratulations to Our 2026 Grant Award Winners!
Each year, the Barth Syndrome Foundation and our International Affiliates invest in the brightest minds working to unlock the mysteries of Barth syndrome. Through our grant program, we welcome innovative applications spanning basic, translational, and clinical research — providing seed funding to both emerging and established investigators to generate the preliminary data needed to pursue larger funding from institutions like the National Institutes of Health. This year, we are proud to announce three exceptional researchers whose work brings us closer to better treatments and, ultimately, a cure. Congratulations to our 2026 grantees: Timothy Cardozo, MD, PhD with New York University; W. Todd Cade, PT, PhD, FAPTA with Duke University; and Itay Budin, PhD with University of California San Diego.
All three researchers will be presenting at the 2026 Barth Syndrome International Scientific, Medical & Family Conference this July 19–25. If you'd like to hear directly from them about their work, we hope you'll join us — register here!
About Our Research Program
Since the launch of our peer-reviewed grant program in 2002, we have supported research projects that span discovery science, physiological and psychosocial characterization our community, and innovative cellular and animal models of disease. As Barth syndrome science has matured, so too has our approach.
Announced in 2021, our new Strategic Plan includes an expansion of Research alongside Development efforts to get to safe therapies faster for our community of Barth syndrome-affected individuals and families.
With an R&D portfolio that spans Barth discovery and translational science, to clinical studies and trials, BSF aims to partner across sectors including academia, industry, government, and peer organizations to develop life-changing therapies and lessen the suffering caused by Barth syndrome.
Research & Development Priorities
- Understanding the etiology of Barth syndrome
- Developing impactful therapies for our community
- Fostering an open, inclusive, and collaborative research environment (including research tools)
These are the lens through which BSF assesses funding opportunities and initiates R&D programs.
BSF Funding Opportunities
Resources and Tools
- Biobanked Patient Samples and Transformed Cell Lines
- Barth Syndrome Patient Registry & Biorepository
- Human Tafazzin Gene Variants Database
- Animal and Cellular Models of Barth Syndrome
These programs span the scope of efforts BSF employs to expeditiously reach our goal of safe and effective therapies for our community.
Learn more about BSF's R&D strategy here.
